EMBRACEABLE YOU

I know!  I know!  Christmas is coming and I'm not posting a Christmas card.  Shame on me, but I just needed to take a break from Christmas cards for a while.  Today's card is actually a combination of two challenges!  Go, Lori, go!!!  And you know what's even more exciting for me?  This card was actually completed before the deadline.  Whoo!  Hoo!  (Sorry, I'm just so dang proud of myself.)  Okay, so here is the sketch layout that I used for the design of my card.  I found this challenge over at Diva Coffee Break Designs.  It is sketch challenge #155.  Here's the layout.

I also incorporated Splitcoast Stampers Inspiration Challenge IC208 from Saturday, November 28th, for my card.  I chose this purse as my inspiration for the color combination of my card - Cameo Coral, Real Red, Soft Suede, Chocolate Chip and Very Vanilla. 

I used my corner rounder punch on my panels to mimic the squares on the purse.  The corduroy buttons were an afterthought.  I actually had them laying out on my table and they fell out of their container and across my card.  After arranging them around a bit, I decided to add them.  How lucky is that?

Well, that's all for me this evening.  It's back to work for me tomorrow.  My four day weekend really spoiled me.  Hope all my American friends enjoyed their Thanksgiving holiday.  I know I did! 

Thanks for peeking in on me today!

Supplies:  Stamps - Eastern Blooms, Embrace Life, Friends 24-7, Itty Bitty Backgrounds, Friendly Words Jumbo Wheel; Paper - Very Vanilla, Real Red, Cameo Coral, Soft Suede, Chocolate Chip; Ink- Chocolate Chip, Cameo Coral, Soft Suede, SU! Markers - Soft Suede, Real Red, Cameo Coral; Accessories - Chocolate Chip Corduroy Buttons, 3/16" Corner Rounder Punch, Paper Piercer, Mat Pack, Dimensionals, Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel 

THANKSGIVING BLESSINGS

I wish you could see this card in real life. The colors are so much better. My husband tried to photograph it. I tried to photograph it and he even tried again. So I apologize for the picture, but I can't retake it. I already sent it to a retired co-worker whose health is declining. I hope it cheers him up to know that his old co-workers are thinking of him this holiday season.

I'm not really sure that this card went in the direction that I was hoping. Sometimes my cards just have a mind of their own. I just wanted to take a small break from making Christmas cards and focus on the holiday at hand - Thanksgiving. I just love this stamp set. I won it at the Cincinnati Stampin' Up! Regional in September. The leaves were stamped in Basic Brown ink and sponge daubers were used to color them in. I cut each one out, bent the leaves and added dimensionals to give them a more three dimensional look.

I'm going to make it a short post tonight as I need to clean house and prepare food for the next two days. We're off to my in-laws tomorrow and then dinner at my house on Friday.

Have a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving. I hope you share it with the ones you love! Thanks for peeking in on me today!

Christmas Wreath

There is nothing like a Christmas wreath on the front door to say, "Come on in and stay for a while!" Here's yet another 10 for $10 Christmas class card. Again, this is not my original idea. It came directly from the Stampin' Up! Demonstrator website. We demonstrators know that there are all kinds of great ideas posted on the Demonstrator website and these ideas are a tremendous help!

Believer it or not the wreath wasn't even made with a Christmas stamp set. It was made using the Autumn Days stamp set pictured to the left! How clever is that?? It was made using the stamp to the left of the pine cones. Yes, the one with the berries on it. Just simply ink the stamp up and rotate your cardstock in a circle using Old Olive ink first, then Always Artichoke ink on the next layer and lastly Real Red ink on the top layer.

Tomorrow starts the beginning of Stampin' Up!'s ONLINE EXTRAVAGANZA sale offered through November 30th. Be on the lookout for amazing discounts offered on wonderful Stampin' Up! products. For more information, check it out here on Monday morning.

That's all for me today. Thanks for peeking in on me!

Supplies: Stamps - Autumn Days, Teeny Tiny Wishes; Paper - Real Red, Old Olive, Always Artichoke, Natural Ivory; Ink - Real Red, Always Artichoke, Old Olive; Accessories - Rel Red Polka Dot Ribbon, Word Window Punch, Modern Label Punch, Gold Brads, Dimensionals

A Little Something For You

Warning: Long post. Be sure to scroll down to see the inside of this card.

Isn't this the coolest thing ever? Bet you didn't guess that it's not only a card but a gift card holder. Now before I go into all the details I have to give credit where credit is due. This gift card holder was created by my so brilliantly clever Stampin' Up! upline, Chrystal Amato. The only thing I did was change the striped paper slightly and the ribbon from Chocolate Chip grosgrain ribbon to Chocolate Chip taffeta ribbon. This gift card holder is also a "CASE" (copy and share everything) of a "CASE". Chrystal's inspiration came from this gift card holder created by Gretchen Barron. Check Gretchen out on her blog. She's also very, incredibly talented.

All I did was cut a 12" x 12" piece of cardstock into and folded it in half. Next, using your Big Shot machine, line the score line of your card almost all the way to the top of the Scallop Square die design but not quite. If you line up the score line of your card past the top of the Scallop Square die you'll end up with two beautiful scallop squares. Not the look you're going for, trust me : ) Once you've got the edge where you want it just run the die through the Big Shot machine and voila'. You get this beautiful scalloped card. To get the oval cutout in the middle of the card you'll need to use the scallop oval punch. Just line up the punch with the middle of the card and slide it up as far as it will go from the bottom of the card and punch out the oval. You'll then adhere your second piece of cardstock right over the front. Yes, you'll cover up your pretty scallop oval, but don't worry. Flip the card over so you can see where you've punched out the first oval and line the punch up and punch again. You never want to try to punch through two pieces of heavy cardstock at the same time. This may break your punch.

So, do you want to see inside? Do you?? Do you?? Okay, here it is ........................... Super cool, huh? To make the pocket for the gift card you'll just run the patterned paper through the Big Shot using the Scallop Square die again and just adhere it to the sides and bottom of your card base. DO NOT place adhesive to the middle or to the top of your patterned paper. You won't have a gift card holder then : )

This was another card my guests made at the 10 for $10 Christmas card class I had at my house last week. This card was a big hit.

If you live in or near the Waverly area and would like to attend one of my classes, please email me at l_burkitt@yahoo.com. I'll be glad to send you information about my upcoming classes and would be thrilled to have you there.

Thanks for peeking in on me today! Have a great evening!

Supplies: All Stampin' Up! unless noted; Stamps - Christmas Punches; Paper - Old Olive, Real Red, Very Vanilla, Old Olive DSP; SU! Markers- Chocolate Chip, Real Red, Old Olive; Accessories - Big Shot Machine, Scallop Square Die, Scallop Oval Punch, Chocolate Chip Taffeta Ribbon, Petal-A-Plenty Embossing Folder, Dimensionals

Shop Stampin' Up! 24/7 here.

FROSTY AND FRIENDS

Here's another card that was created for my 10 for $10 Christmas card class last week. I cased my card from the ever so talented Jan Tink. You can view her card here. I kept her same color combinations and card layout. I just changed the color combination around and used a different stamp set. If you look closely (or click on the picture to enlarge) you can see I added Dazzling Diamond Glitter to the snow drift. I love that stuff. It shimmers just like diamonds. I guess that's how it got its name :~)


Have a great day and thanks for peeking in on me today! I'm a little under the weather but hope to be feeling better soon.


Supplies: Stamps - The More the Merrier, Happy Everything; Ink - Basic Black, Su! Markers - Old Olive, Real Red, Black, Bermuda Bay, Crushed Curry, Pumpkin Pie; Cardstock - Bermuda Bay, Crushed Curry, Real Red, Whisper White; Accessories - Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, 2 Way Glue Pen, Eyelet Border Punch, Mellow Moss Grosgrain Ribon, 1/16" Punch, Real Red Brad

All supplies are Stampin' Up! unless noted.

Shop Stampin' Up! 24/7 here.

BACK IN THE SADDLE AND A CHALLENGE TO BOOT

My, oh, my! Has it really been that long since my last post??? I've got a million excuses, but let me just give you the condensed version. I've been busy prepping for my 10 for $10 Christmas card class and dealing with the "Kiddie Crud". My class is now over and was a big success - thanks ladies! The "kiddie crud" is subsiding and life is getting back to normal. So on with the show!

The above card is one I created for my Christmas card class and also for the Pals Paper Arts PPA16 Challenge for this week. This week's challenge is a "Christmas Cheer" theme. Check it out here. This is the first time I've participated in the Pals Paper Arts Challenge and I'm pumped. From time to time I play along with challenges, but usually long after the challenge is over.

Well, that's it for me today. I'm going shopping with my little sister. Thanks for peeking in on me today. Oh, and a very "Happy Birthday" to my oldest brother, Eric. Love you big guy!

Supplies: Stamps - Winter Post, Snow Swirled; Paper - Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Very Vanilla, Merry Moments DSP; Ink-Chocolate Chip, Real Red, Old Olive; Accessories - Mistletoe Ribbon, Big Shot Machine, Top Note Die, Dimensionals (All supplies are Stampin' Up! unless noted.)

Shop Stampin' Up! here.